14 May, Friday — Always Choose Quality

May 14 – Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle

St. Matthias (d. 80) was an Apostle. As he could bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, he was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. He preached the Gospel for more than 30 years in Judaea, Cappadocia, Egypt, and Ethopia. He is remembered for preaching the need for mortification of the flesh with regard to all its sensual and irregular desires. He was martyred in Colchis in AD80 by stoning.

• Patron Saint Index

Acts 1:15-17,20-26
Jn 15:16
Jn 15:9-17

“…I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last…”

During a recent bout of spring cleaning, I paused to take stock of the items that I chose to hold on to. Some had much sentimental value, others were bound to be useful in future (yeah, right), and a few of them were almost in as good a condition as they were when I first bought them.

On the other hand, the items that I discarded were either worn out, had outlived their usefulness, or were hardly used at all. The last group of items were typically impulse buys and physical FOMO (fear of missing out) insurance policies.

Beyond freeing up some much needed space at home, my little Marie Kondo moment made me reflect on the true value of things, and how quality always trumps a quick and dirty fix. There is a reason why heirlooms are passed down from one generation to the next, why some cars appreciate in value and become classics, while others head to the scrapyard, and why some companies are worth investing in for the long-term.

With life being a never-ending cycle of making decisions and subsequently dealing with the outcomes, it is all too easy to choose the quick fixes and the paths of least resistance. To this end, the Saints offer a differing view. They chose to cling to their faith, and to make choices that aligned with their Catholic values.

Like athletes who chase an Olympic gold medal, or the students who strive to excel at their exams, we too must implant that deep sense of purpose that will keep us on track in the face of discouragements. As you journey with God and as he reaches out to you, may you eventually find the motivation to make decisions that will resoundingly improve the quality of your life in God’s eyes.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gregory Mathew)

Prayer: Help us O Lord, to keep our eyes on the final prize of being in loving communion with you in heaven.

Thanksgiving: We thank you Jesus, for helping us to endure the trials of this life which serve to strengthen our faith in you.